6-7 Blappert moved to tight end
<blockquote><p align=justify><b>Cajuns will hold 60-play scrimmage at 3 p.m. today. </b>
LOUISIANA La. — Troy Wingerter’s only regret is that he doesn’t have more time to work with Darryl Blappert. The 6-foot-7, 275-pound junior college transfer has been shifted from defensive tackle to tight end as Louisiana continues its preparations for the 2003 season opener at South Carolina.
Judging from his tenacity and effort in Tuesday’s “middle drill,” the senior may have found a home.
“He’s a work in progress,” said Wingerter, the Cajuns’ tight end coach. “He’s a gifted athlete who’s a senior, and he’s exhibited a lot of the characteristics you like at tight end.
“We have a plethora of defensive line talent, guys who have girth. Darryl could have stayed there and seen some action, but he can help us in our two tight end sets as a backup for Lawrence Johnson.”
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Bruce Brown
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Senior Josh Joerg is the established starter, with Johnson a valuable partner at the position, but the Cajuns need more depth.
“Josh is in there on every play, and Lawrence is a great backside blocker,” Wingerter said. “We also have Heath Holloway, a junior college walk-on.”
But it was clearly the rangy Blappert who raised eyebrows on Tuesday.
“I like the defensive mentality he brings to that side of the ball,” Wingerter said. “He really comes off the ball, and the other backups don’t. He’s got a great concept of leverage, and he runs his feet. He’s got exceptional upper-body strength for a rangy guy.
“The (pass) routes will take time, until he gets a touch and feel for it. But he’s a smart kid. We spent an extra hour and a half with him yesterday, and a half hour this afternoon. We have a game or so before he really has to be thrust into it.
“With the guys who have been there already, I’m coaching them on the finer points. But with an athlete like Darryl, you can mess him up with too much. As long as he blocks them, I don’t really care how.”
The only shame is that the Cajuns won’t have more than a season to see Blappert grow into his new position.
“I told Darryl that if we had him for two more years, he could be a great one, a great one,” Wingerter said.
Blappert’s No. 93 will be one of the ones to watch today when the Cajuns stage their first major scrimmage of the preseason, with an 18-play special teams drill at 2:30 p.m. and a 60-play, full-scale scrimmage at approximately 3 p.m.
“I liked what I saw yesterday in the 18-play scrimmage we had,” head coach Rickey Bustle said. “I was not happy with the offense today. There were two or three people out, but we still ought to practice better.”
Receivers Fred Stamps (sprained thumb) and Bill Sampy (leg strain) had green jerseys on, while the offensive line was without Corey Glover, Ronnie Harvey and Greg Hodges were all sidelined with various aches and pains.
“We had a brand new left tackle, and a freshman at right tackle,” Bustle said. “But, the defense also had their motor running this afternoon. I’ve asked them to set the tone out here, and I like that attitude every time they step on the field.”
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